Chapter 1: Return of Harmony, Part 1

It was a new day in Canterlot as Miss Cheerilee was guiding the class through the same gardens.

"I want to start our field trip here," said Cheerilee as she guided the young ponies through the area, "in the world famous Canterlot sculpture garden. That one over there represents "Friendship"..."

It was then three familiar fillies walked by a statue of three little ponies standing up top of each other. Apple Bloom came to a stop to take a look at the statue, causing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to bump into her. They all just gave each other some annoyed glares. They had apparently been getting on each other's nerves all day.

"All right, my little ponies," said Cheerilee, "This one represents "Victory"." Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle just looked at the statue.

"How cool would it be to have that for a cutie mark?" said Scootaloo as she looked at the flag the statue was holding.

"Cool, if you were actually victoryful at somethin'," said Apple Bloom in a snarky tone.

"That's not a word!" Sweetie Belle retorted.

"What are you, a dictionary?" Scootaloo shot back.

"Girls!" Cheerilee retorted, getting the three fillies to stop fighting as she stopped the class before the mutated serpent statue, "Now this is a really interesting statue. What do you notice about it?"

"It's got an eagle claw!" said Apple Bloom.

"And a lion paw!" said Scootaloo.

"And a snake tail!" said Sweetie Belle.

"This creature is called a draconequus," said Cheerilee, "He has the head of a pony and the body made up of all sorts of things. What do you suppose that represents?"

"Confusion!" said Apple Bloom.

"Evil!" Sweetie Belle interjected as she shoved into Apple Bloom.

"Chaos!" Scootaloo added, shoving Apple Bloom into Sweetie Belle.

"It's not chaos, you dodo!" said Sweetie Belle to Scootaloo.

"Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of," Scootaloo shot back, "and it is chaos!"

"Is not!" Sweetie Belle yelled.

"You're both wrong!" Apple Bloom retorted before they all began to tussle with each other. A cloud of smoke appeared around them as they began to fight. Cheerilee just rolled her eyes and shook her head at them. Unaware of her or any of the younger ponies, the heart of the statue began to glow twice.

"Actually, in a way, you're all right," said Cheerilee, making the three fillies stop fighting each other as the rest of the students around them just glared, "This statue represents "Discord", which means lack of harmony between ponies." The three fillies smiled.

"In fact, Cheerilee continued, "You three have demonstrated Discord so well that you're each going to write me an essay explaining it." That flipped over their smiles instantly as the other students around them laughed quietly at the three's expense.

"Now let's go," said Cheerilee, "and I don't want any more fighting!" Cheerilee then led the younger ponies ahead with the three fillies tagging from behind.

"It's confusion!" Apple Bloom whispered under her breath.

"Evil!" said Sweetie Belle in a quiet tone.

"Chaos!" Scootaloo added.

Little did they know that their continued fighting had seemed to have caused the "Discord" statue to crack.

Then coming out of the shadows undetected were four Quinkan monsters as they surround the statue of Discord. Coming to the front of it was Kai as he smirked evilly.

He then used his power to go through the crack and into the statue.

"Arise, Discord." Kai said evilly. "My master is in need of your assistance."

A devious laughter could be heard as something terrible was about to revive back to life.

*Main theme*

The statue continued to crack as Kai smirked evilly while the Quinkan watched on. Then finally…

BOOM!

The statue exploded as Discord was free!

"Aaaaahhhh! Oy! Ten-thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck!" He grumbled as he began stretching, as Kai looked unamused.

"Discord." Kai dryly greeted him.

"Ah, Kai the collector. I presume?" Discord asked with a smile.

"Good thing you know who I am." Kai crossed his arms in satisfaction.

"Well, I see you have brought your minions with you." Discord poofed in between two of the four Quinkan monsters. "The Quinkan has returned if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes. And you also know who else has returned as well." Kai said as furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"Ahh, the all-mighty and glorious leader of your army, King Zhao." Discord said as he poofed in front of Kai as he brought out a picture of Zhao ruling Equestria and the Netherworld.

Kai glared at the Spirit of Chaos for a moment before he smirked.

"Yes, and he also wishes to speak with you back at the Hollow Shades." Kai said. Discord laughed as some fireworks sprouted out of nowhere, because of him using chaos magic.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to meeting him." Discord said with a sneak smirk.

(Scene changes)

A few minutes later, they arrived at the Hollow Shades as they walked through the Well of Shade.

Zhao was sitting on his throne as Kai and the Quinkan came back.

"Master." Kai bowed to his leader. "Discord has arrived."

Discord walked into the scene as he looked around with an evil smile.

"Well, well, well." Discord said with satisfaction. "I love what you've done to the place, Zhao. It's homey, in a evil kind of thing."

"Discord." Zhao greeted the draconequus with an evil look on his face. "I suppose you are wondering why I have called you here?"

The Lord of Chaos poofed next to him in the air with a scroll in his lion paw with his eagle claw on his chin with a thoughtful look.

"Let me guess." Discord said. "Does it inlove Celestia, the great and wise leader of Equestria?"

"No." Zhao said as he was talking about the Mane Seven. "There are six girls and one particular unicorn stallion I need to get rid of."

"Oh, and I presume you need me to get rid of them for you." Discord said, poofing in a military outfit and saluting Zhao respectively. The Quinkan king smiled evilly as .

"Yes, but just the girls." Zhao said as he made eye contact with Discord. "I want to personally deal with Chase Young for myself. Just try to torment him so he and the girls will be working alone while enjoying taking over Ponyville for yourself, just like you did long ago. But first, I need you to go to Canterlot and do a little twist and turn of events. Starting with hiding the Elements of Harmony."

Discord smirked as he floated in the air. "Ah, yes. I will deal with those seven ponies and take over their little sweet home town."

He then poofed away. Zhao continued to sit comfortably in his throne chair as he smirked evilly.

"All is according to plan." Zhao said with an evil smile.

(Scene changes)

Back in Ponyville, all seemed well. Until Rainbow came flying past chasing what appeared to be a renegade storm cloud. A pink renegade storm cloud.

"Come back here, you!" said Rainbow as she went to capture the cloud, "Gotcha!" But then when she crashed into the cloud she got herself all sticky.

"Eww, what's is this?" Rainbow exclaimed until she recognized the content of the cloud, "Cotton candy?"

It was then several clouds zoomed past her. Then she heard the rumble of thunder from above as Rainbow felt something wet hit her nose and she looked up to find an even larger cotton candy cloud.

"Wait a second!" said Rainbow, "It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow. You can't just..." The "rain" began to pour down on her anyway, leaving her very annoyed.

"You did," she muttered to herself.

(Scene changes)

In Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was just busy collecting stalks of corn when Rainbow was flying quickly in the sky chasing after another pink cloud.

"Hey, I didn't tell you to go anywhere!" Rainbow yelled at the cloud as she continued pursuit. Several pink clouds began to appear in the sky and it began to rain on the orange pony.

"Rainbow Dash," said Applejack, "what's going on with this rain? I mean chocolate milk? I mean chocolate milk rain?!"

"There's crazy weather all over Equestria!" said Rainbow, "Cloudsdale is getting soaked by a major cola storm right now! But don't worry. I'm not leaving you until I get control of Ponyville!"

It was then all the corn in the fields began to turn into popcorn. Rainbow quickly flies away as the mounds of popcorn grow as Applejack gets blasted in the face by a few popped kernels, knocked backwards, and gets buried in one of the mounds of popcorn.

"Why would you wanna stop this?" said Pinkie as she started eating the popcorn and slurping the chocolate milk rain happily. It was then Rarity arrived wearing a designer purple raincoat and had a saddle umbrella on her back.

"Ahem, I heard about your troubles, Applejack," said Rarity, "and I came to see if there's anything I can do without getting wet. Or dirty. Or out from under my umbrella."

Applejack just stared at her blankly when suddenly all the apples on the apple trees became mega sized. Their large size causes the trees to creak loudly as they tilt to one side. Several squirrels appeared and started eating the mega sized apples.

"Fluttershy! Do somethin'!" said Applejack, but the yellow Pegasus was having her own problems. Apparently Angel was also gobbling up one of the large apples.

"Now Angel," said Fluttershy gently, "you really shouldn't-"

Then before Fluttershy's eyes, Angels hind legs and feet became long and skinny, making him look like a cross between a bunny and a deer and he took off.

"No!" Fluttershy gasped in shock, "It's not possible! I must be seeing things!"

It was then in the distance several other bunny-deer began to run about the landscape.

"Don't worry everyone," said a voice.

Everyone turned to see Twilight, using her magic to hold up a book with Spike and Chase nearby. She closed the book and tossed it aside.

"I've learned a new spell that will fix everything." Twilight then concentrated as she made her horn glow before firing a large magic blast.

It was so strong that it even sent a magical wave that spread away from her like when a rock splashes into calm or still water. Twilight opened her eyes in shock when she saw that her spell...had no effect whatsoever. The chocolate milk rain was still falling, the corn was still popping, and the strange looking animals stayed...strange looking.

"My fail-safe spell...failed," said Twilight, still in shock, "whatever do we do?"

"Give up?" Spike proposed, but only earned a glare from Twilight and Chase.

"Spike, don't be like that." Chase scolded the baby dragon.

"Spike, Twilight will come up with something," said Rarity as she placed her umbrella saddle on Twilight's back.

"Hmm, time for plan B," said Chase after pondering to himself for a bit, "Rainbow, can you corral all these clouds into one corner of the sky?"

For the moment, Rainbow was trying to get herself unstuck from one of the cotton candy clouds. Some of the animals were even licking the candy off of her. Once she managed to do so and shook away the animals, Rainbow gave Chase a salute and started to round up all the cotton candy clouds together. Pinkie had been reclining and enjoying the rain, her mane drenched in chocolate milk, until Rainbow pulled the cloud away. Twilight then turned to Applejack.

"Applejack, I need you to bring those high-strung storm clouds down to Earth," Twilight instructed. Applejack then grabbed her lasso and grabbed the giant collection of cotton candy clouds to pull them down. Pinkie then tried to recline and enjoy the rain again when her enjoyment was once again cut off.

"Hey, what happened?" said Pinkie when her stream of chocolate milk was cut off for a second time. By now Applejack had started tying up one giant cotton candy cloud when Chase whispered something to Fluttershy. Fluttershy just listened before giving a smile.

"Oh dear," said Fluttershy, trying to sound dramatic, "I hope none of the animals see these delicious filled chocolate cotton candy clouds. I'd hate to have to share them." The others just waited patiently as Pinkie face-planted into the cloud and was just enjoying herself.

"You and me both, sister!" said Pinkie when the animals all crowded around the cloud, knocking Pinkie out of the way, "Hey!" The animals just enjoyed the cloud as Pinkie glared since she couldn't find a spot to get some of it herself.

"And when y'all are done with that," Applejack told them, "feel free to have some popcorn for dessert." Twilight was very pleased.

"You see, Spike?" said Twilight as she turned to her number one assistant, "You should never give up. There's nothing we can't overcome if we all work together."

Spike just looked rather bored for a second before he hunched over.

"BURP!"

Spike then produced a scroll on the ground. Twilight began to read it as she gasped.

"Come on, girls and Chase," said Twilight, "Princess Celestia wants to see us all at Canterlot immediately!"

Everyone just looked at each other worried.

(Scene changes)

Inside Canterlot castle, one could see Princess Celestia pacing anxiously back and forth from inside the castle. She came to a stop when she saw the seven ponies arrive in the main room, charging through the front door in a hurry.

"Princess Celestia, we came as fast as we could!" said Twilight as the seven ponies came to stop on front of the splitting staircase.

"Thank you Twilight," said Princess Celestia, "Thank you, all."

"Is this about the weather?" Twilight asked very quickly, "And the animal's weird behavior? What's happening out there? Why isn't my magic working? Is there-"

Twilight was then cut off when Princess Celestia raised a fore-hoof in the air.

"It appears my worst fears have been realized," said Princess Celestia, "Follow me." Princess Celestia than guided them down a long hallway filled with various handmade stained glass windows.

"I've called you here for a matter of great importance," Princess Celestia explained as she lead them down the hallway, "It seems an old foe of mine, someone I thought I had defeated long ago, had returned." As they continued down the hallway, Fluttershy then saw the light reflection of one of the windows on the ground.

"His name...is Discord," said Princess Celestia as Fluttershy looked up and saw a large stained glass image of the draconequus in front of her.

"Squee!" Fluttershy screamed and ran away from the image.

"Who-who's Discord exactly?" Chase asked with puzzled look.

"Discord is the mischievous spirit of disharmony," Princess Celestia continued to explain as she showed them another stained glass window of Discord controlling ponies like puppets, "Before my sister and I stood up to him, he ruled Equestria in an eternal state of unrest and unhappiness. Luna and I saw how miserable life was for the Earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns alike, so after discovering the Elements of Harmony..." She led them toward another stained glass of her and Luna surrounded by a now stone version of Discord, "...we combined our powers and rose up against him, turning him to stone."

"All right, Princess!" said Rainbow impressively, giving her a hoof pump.

"I thought the spell we cast would keep him contained forever," Princess Celestia continued as they ventured further down the hall, "but since Luna and I are no longer connected to the Elements, the spell has been broken."

"No longer connected?" said Twilight puzzled.

It was then they arrived before a rather majestic looking door that was royal purple in color and coated with some gems.

"This is Canterlot Tower," Princess Celestia told the six ponies, "where the Elements are kept since all of you recovered them. I need you to wield the Elements of Harmony once again and stop Discord before he thrusts all of Equestria into eternal chaos." Everypony just looked worried when Pinkie suddenly zipped away.

"But why us?" Twilight asked, still not understanding why it had to be the seven of them, "Why don't you-"

"Hey, look!" said Pinkie as she showed them a stained glass that showed them defeating Nightmare Moon, "We're famous!"

"You seven showed the full potential of the Elements by harnessing the magic of your friendship to beat a mighty foe," said Princess Celestia.

"Yeah, but will it work on Discord?" Chase asked as he looked concerned.

"Don't worry, Chase." Princess Celestia said, reassuringly. "They were enough to defeat Discord then and they should be enough to defeat him now..." She raised her wings and the tone of her voice became more serious, "...Although Luna and I once wielded the Elements, it is you who control their power, and it is you who must defeat Discord!"

Everypony flinched a bit at her tone and looked at each other. Twilight was a bit worried herself before she gave the Princess a determined look.

"Princess Celestia, you can count on-"

"Hold on a second!" said Pinkie, cutting Twilight off, as her eyes bulged at the idea of chocolate, "Eternal chaos comes with chocolate rain, you guys! Chocolate Rain!"

Everypony just looked at her before Twilight just zipped over to the Princess.

"Don't listen to her, Princess," said Twilight, "We're honored to use the Elements of Harmony."

Princess Celestia then recomposed herself as she stuck her horn into a hole on the door and used her magic to activate it. Three sets of circles then lit up before the entire door glowed and opened before them. Everyone minus the Princess looked away from the bright light as they saw before them a jeweled chest.

"Ooh, you can keep the Elements," said Rarity as Princess Celestia presented the chest to them, "I'll take that case!"

"Have no fear, ponies," said Princess Celestia, "I have total confidence that you'll be able to defeat Discord with these!" She then opened the chest to find it...empty!

"GASP!" everypony exclaimed as their jaws dropped. Everypony except for Pinkie that is.

"Oh well," said Pinkie, "If anyone needs me, I'll be outside in the chocolate puddles with a giant swizzle straw." She then bounced away as everypony else was in too much shock to answer. Celestia just dropped the chest after she started to recompose herself.

"The Elements!" Twilight exclaimed in shock, "They're gone!"

"That chamber is protected by a powerful spell that only I can break!" said Princess Celestia as she paced back and forth with worry, "This doesn't make sense."

Suddenly, Chase sensed something as he looked around.

"Uh, guys." Chase said, addressing everyone. "I don't think we're alone."

Muwahahahaha!

Suddenly an devious laughter echoed throughout the halls. Princess Celestia and the others looked around but couldn't find the source of the laughter.

"Make sense?" said a voice, "Oh, what fun is there in making sense?"

"Discord..." said Princess Celestia, "Show yourself!" The draconequus chuckled.

"Did you miss me, Celestia?" Discord asked as the stained glass image of him to came to life, "I missed you. It's quite lonely being incased in stone, but you wouldn't know that, would you, because I don't turn ponies into stone!"

"Enough!" said Princess Celestia sternly, "What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?"

"Oh, I just borrowed them for a teensy little while," Discord replied casually as he snapped his fingers, making himself disappear as well as the stained glass versions of all seven elements. Princess Celestia just rubbed a hoof impatiently on the carpet.

"You'll never get away with this, Discord!" she said angrily.

"Oh, I'd forgotten how grim you can be, Celestia," said Discord as he repapered in another stained glass window, looking rather bored, "It's really quite boring."

"Hey! Nopony insults the Princess!" Rainbow makes an impluse charge at the glass, but then...

SMACK!

Rainbow hit the glass face first and Discord disappeared easily to avoid getting hit. Rainbow had to literally peel her face off the glass as she tried to recover as Discord reappeared before them all.

"Oh, you must be Rainbow Dash, famed for her loyalty, the Element of Harmony you represent," said Discord.

"That's right!" said Rainbow definitely, "I'll always by loyal to the Princess!"

"We'll see about that," said Discord as he disappeared again.

"I can't believe we're wasting our time talking to a tacky window," said Rarity indignantly as Discord reappeared in the window next to her in a reclining position.

"The beautiful Rarity," said Discord, "representing the Element of Generosity, if I'm not mistaken." Rarity looked rather uneasy as Applejack walked up to him looking very annoyed.

"So you know who we are, big deal," said Applejack, annoyed.

"Oh, I know much more than that, honest Applejack," Discord answered, enlarging himself.

"You seem to know our strengths too," said Twilight with a glare.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle," said Discord as he moved about the glass showing them with their elements, "and yours is the most powerful of all the elements, magic… oh wait, that's actually the second most powerful."

"I guess you're talking about me?" Chase asked with a glare.

"Yes, Chase Young." Discord said. "You wield the Element of Bravery. Quite a rare element if I do say so myself."

Chase growled at him.

"Umm, now where was I? Oh yes," said Discord with his claws on his hips. "While Twilight is the Element of Magic, Fluttershy's is Kindness, and Pinkie Pie's is a personal favorite of mine - Laughter." Discord laughed as Pinkie snickered.

"Pinkie!" Twilight scolded.

"He's standing on your head!" Pinkie pointed out that Discord was doing the moon walk on the head of the glass pony representing Twilight.

That was until…

ZAP!

"YEEOW!" Discord yelped as he was flung on to the pillar of the window.

"Stop stalling, Discord!" said Chase sternly as he was the one who did it. "What have you done with the Elements of Harmony?"

"Oh, so boring along with Celestia, Chase." said Discord in annoyance, "Really? Fine, I'll tell you, but only tell you my way. To retrieve your missing Elements, just make sense of this change of events. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the Elements back where you began." As Discord spoke, he shifted from one stained glass window to the next. The ponies struggled to keep track of him and followed his little riddle before he returned to the glass window of him using ponies as puppets and returned to being a mural.

"Can we go home now?" Fluttershy asked feebly.

"What do you reckon he meant?" Applejack asked everypony else, "Twists and turns and ending back where we started?"

"Twists and turns...twists and turns...twists and turns!" said Twilight as she paced towards a window and then realized something, "That's it! I'll bet Discord hid the Elements in the palace labyrinth!"

"Then we don't have time left." Chase said with a determined look. "We have to find him and stop this."

"Good luck, my little ponies," said Princess Celestia, "The fate of Equestria is in your hooves."

"Thanks, Princess, we will," Twilight answered, "We won't let you down."

The seven ponies made their exit as they ran out of the halls. Princess Celestia watched them leave when she heard the ominous laughter of Discord echoing down the hall once more.

(Scene changes)

It didn't take much longer before all seven ponies arrived at the entrance to the garden and they all gasped.

"W-we have to go in there?" said Fluttershy, quivering fearfully.

"Nope!" said Rainbow, "Dopey Discord forgot about these babies!" Rainbow then took off to the sky.

"I'll just do a quick flyover and we'll have the elements in no time," said Rainbow but then a flash of light appeared. Rainbow suddenly came crashing down onto her back and then noticed that her back was...wingless.

"My wings!" She exclaimed in horror.

There was then another flash of light. Fluttershy's wings were gone as well.

"EEEEEEEEEK!" Fluttershy screamed seeing her back was also wingless.

Two more flashes of light removed the horns for both Rarity and Twilight. They gasped as they saw each other.

"Your horn! My horn! AAAAAAAAAAH!" Twilight and Rarity said together as they screamed and fuss about in full panic.

Then the same flash removed Chase's horn and his ninja gear.

"NO!" Chase said with horror before growled in anger. "Alright, Discord! Enough fooling around! Show yourself!"

It was then the big bad lunatic himself made his LIVE debut before the ponies, laughing at them all, thunder clashing behind him. The six girls all gathered close together fearfully as Chase glared at him.

"You-you should see the looks on your faces," he laughed, "Priceless!"

BONK!

"OW!" Discord shouted, stopped laughing as he held his nose in pain before glaring at Chase. "Hey!"

"Give us our wings and horns back! And my gear!" Chase demanded.

"You'll get them back in good time," said Discord, scratching his chin as he hovered about them, nudging Applejack flank, smirking at Rainbow and Fluttershy, and then tracing a finger over Twilight's chin, making Chase glare at him for doing. "I simply took them to ensure there is no cheating. You see, this is the first rule of the game. No flying, and no magic."

"The first rule?" said Rainbow wearily as discord headed over to a hedge to recline.

"The second rule is everypony has to play or the game is over and I win," said Discord, "Good luck everypony!" Discord then disappeared, laughing as he did so. The other ponies were all shaken up, except for Chase as he glared at him.

"Never fear, girls." Chase said with a determined smile. "We have each other!"

"And we will do it together!" Twilight added.

"Yeah," said Rainbow in agreement, "Like Twilight said, there's nothing we can't overcome if we all stick together!"

They all smile in agreement before lining up side by side at the entrance to the labyrinth. With determined faces, they each take a firm stomp with a fore-hoof.

"All right, girls and Chase, let's do this!" said Twilight.

"Together!" they all shouted, but then they were all sent screaming as some hedge walls rose up and separated them all from each other. They also prevented them from leaving as well.

"Stay calm, girls and Chase!" Twilight shouted as a "Brady Bunch" style screen appeared with her in the middle, "Everypony head to the middle as quickly as you can, and we'll regroup there!"

"Moving out!" said Rainbow from the upper left square.

"See you in the center," said Rarity from the bottom right square.

"You got it!" Chase said.

"Yee-haw," said Applejack from the bottom left square.

"See you guys there!" said Pinkie in the upper right square. They all took down their pre-determined paths as Fluttershy appeared from below, gasping with fright.

"What's that? Who's there?" Fluttershy exclaimed, "Girls!" The yellow Pegasus was given no answer.

(Scene changes)

Applejack was just trying to move as quickly as she could to try and get the middle of the garden as fast as she could. Just as she passed a particular intersection, she noticed three apple on the ground. When she approaches them, the apples started to roll away from her.

"What in tarnation?" said Applejack as she chased after them. She was soon brought to an open area in the maze surrounded with various apple trees.

"Where am I?" Applejack asks. The three apples began to circle before her as another apple clocked her on the head. The apples from the trees formed three groups, red, light red, and green as they began to laugh and circle around her.

"Who are y'all?" Applejack asked uneasily.

"The keeper of the groove of truth," said the red apples as they formed two eyes and a smile, "You may ask us..."

"...one question..." said the light-red apples.

"...past, future, or present," said the green apples.

"But be warned..." said the red apples.

"...that the truth..." said the light-red apples.

"...may not always be pleasant," said green apples.

"All right then," said Applejack, feeling as uneasy as ever, "I don't trust this place worth a hill of beans, but I've got a really bad feeling about this feller Discord. What's gonna come of this mission we're on?"

"For the answer you seek..." said the red apples as they head towards a pond.

"...go ahead, take a peek," said the light-red apples. Applejack looked into the pond. It wasn't long before she saw all seven of her friends stand together in the middle of town.

"I'm through with all of you!" Pond Chase shouted.

"I hope I never see you again!" Pond Rainbow added.

"Me too!" said Pond Fluttershy.

"Fine!" Pond Pinkie added.

"Fine!" Pond Rarity repeated.

"It's settled then," said Pond Twilight before they all left their separate ways. Applejack was in shock.

"No! Our friendship? Over?!" Applejack exclaimed as she lowered her hat. Unknowing to her, Discord was above, animating the apple clusters using puppet strings, chuckling to himself. Applejack looked into the pond and saw the entire event play in front of her eyes once again.

"This just can't be the truth," said Applejack in disbelief.

"When all the truth does..." said the light-red apples.

"...is make your heart ache..." said the green apples as Discord reflected his face and eyes in them to stare at Applejack.

"...sometimes a lie is easier to take..." said the green apples and Discord said together, laughing as Applejack was corrupted, and her entire coloring became a shade of grey. She just stood there frozen until a nearby hedge lowered itself to reveal Twilight.

"Applejack! Thank goodness!" said Twilight happily, "I thought I heard voices over here! Who were you talking to?" To Twilight, there was no pool or any apples, just Applejack staring at a green hedge.

"I was talking to...uh..nopony!" said Applejack quickly, shifting her eyes quickly and nervously, "Nopony whatsoever!"

"What?" said Twilight in shock.

"Nothing," said Applejack quickly, "Come on, uh, we best be going!" Applejack quickly left the area.

"Did Applejack just...?" said Twilight but dismissed the idea, "Come on, Twilight, Applejack wouldn't lie." They left the area.

(Scene changes)

In another part of the maze, Pinkie was just whistling and bouncing about. She then came to an area that was filled with lots of balloons with smiles on them. She could hear all the balloons laughing and having a good time as she made her way into the area.

"Whee! This is the greatest balloon garden I've ever seen!" said Pinkie, enjoying herself, "This is the first balloon garden I've ever seen, but still! WAH!" Pinkie then tripped and splashed into some mud, now the balloons surround her and continue to laugh at her expense.

"Hey, what gives?" Pinkie asked, now covered in mud. It was then Discord arrived.

"What's the matter, Pinkie Pie?" said Discord, "I thought you appreciated a good laugh?"

"It's different," Pinkie protested, "They're laughing at me." Discord then put a balloon over his face so he could keep talking through it.

"It's hardly different," said Discord, "Your friends laugh at you all the time."

"My friends laugh with me, not at me," Pinkie protested.

"Oh really?" said Discord as he hovered near her and started to circle her, laughing at her. Pinkie tried to follow the balloon as the other balloons continued to laugh at her as well. Some turning into the faces of her friends as they laughed at her too.

"No! Stop it!" Pinkie begged, feeling a bit dizzy as she cowered to the ground, but the laughter got louder until the green balloon looked directly at her.

"Oh, poor Pinkie Pie," said Discord, "And here I thought laughter made you happy." Pinkie was instantly corrupted and her coloring grayed when she gave the balloon a stern glare.

"Happy?" Pinkie said in stone serious tone, "I don't think so." It was then all the balloons popped and Pinkie was left alone. Twilight and Applejack found her right after the balloons had disappeared.

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight exclaimed, "Are we glad to see you!" Twilight rushed over until Pinkie gave her a death glare.

"Oh are you are, huh?" Pinkie snarled, "Why? Need a good laugh?" Pinkie stomped away and went past Applejack, who just watched her pass without a word.

"Pinkie?" said Twilight in shock, "What do you suppose has her so upset? It's not like her."

"I didn't notice anything strange about Pinkie," said Applejack quickly before turning around to leave the area as well.

"Weird," said Twilight, feeling rather puzzled, "Better pick up the pace before the stress of this place gets the better of all of us."

As Twilight walked away, she failed to see the sinister smile of Discord's Balloon behind her.

(Scene changes)

On the other side, Chase Young walked through with a cautious look as he in every corner.

Then Discord appeared before him, making him go on the offense. The Lord of Chaos laughed maniacally.

"Well, Chase it looks like it's just you and me." Discord said as he slithered himself around the unicorn stallion in a creepy way.

"Get off me!" Chase demanded, but Discord just laughed.

"You will never be like your grandfather." Discord said sinisterly, making Chase go frozen. "What shame he must see in you for being a failure to your precious family."

"You don't know anything about my family." Chase said, glaring at him.

"Oh, come now, Chase." Discord said as he unwrapped himself, smirking at Chase hovering. "You are just so naïve to put your friends in danger, just like he did with your grandmother, Iris Moonlight. What's the point of making somepony proud when you are just a weak little coward? You don't have what it takes."

Chase glared at the laughing draconequus before he thought of something as he pretended to be grim.

"Yeah, but not like you. You don't have anyone to be friends with. You're just a jerk." Chase said as Discord stopped laughing and looked at him annoyed.

"Oh, so grim. Just like Celestia, you are no fun." Discord said with a bored look.

"Yeah, and neither are you!" Chase said and…

POW!

"D'oh!" Discord flung back a bit as he held his nose in pain again.

"You move like bloated buffalo!" Chase said with a smirk as he punched Discord in the face.

"OW! What?" Discord asked with surprise before he said. "I do not!"

"And you're always whining! 'Poor me, no one understands me!' What a sick joke!" Chase said as he uppercut Discord to the chin.

"Huh?!" Discord was left confused. "I do not whine! What is wrong with you?!"

"And you're sloppy!" Chase said, ignoring him, as he palm strikes Discord in the face and the Lord of Chaos yelps every time. "And Gassy!" He punched Discord in the face. Discord tried to get Chase back, but he dodged him and attacked him. "You always make fun of ponies to trick them, but deep down you're just being jealous because we're better than you! Who needs his diaper changed? And his bottle? Does somebody need their nape? What's the matter, Discord? Are you gonna cry?"

Chase then kicks Discord in the face.

"OW!" Discord said as he tried to use his magic on Chase, but it didn't work. "I. AM. NOT. GONNA. CRY!"

POW!

Chase finished it with an uppercut to his chin as Discord was slammed against the green leafy wall.

He tried to manipulate Chase, but it didn't work for him as Chase was too smart for him.

"You know, Discord." Chase smirked. "If there's one thing you gotta learn about me, it's that I don't intend to be fooled."

Discord pride himself up as he glared at Chase.

"You win this round, Chase." Discord said with a glare. "But I'll get you back."

He disappeared along with wall, revealing Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie.

"Chase!" Twilight said as she galloped to him, happily.

"Twilight!" Chase said happily as they embraced each other warmly.

"Oh, yuck! So revolting!" Pinkie said in annoyance.

"Why don't you both just pucker up and kiss already!" Applejack added.

Chase looked at them strangely once he and Twilight separated the hug.

"What's wrong with them?" Chase asked worriedly.

"I don't know." Twilight said with concern before returning her smile back to him. "But I'm just glad you're okay. I was so worried about you."

Chase smiled back at her before they continued on with Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

(Scene changes)

Meanwhile, Rarity was just walking about the garden in a snooty manner.

"I was expecting an audience with the Princess," said Rarity to herself, "Not outdoor sports. Augh! Oh my..." Rarity then came to stop as she saw a rather large wall with three diamonds on the center of it. Discord then appeared in the reflection of all three diamonds.

"Welcome to your lucky day, Rarity," said Discord, "You've found the one thing in Equestria that could rival my face for sheer beauty. What do you think? You like?" A bright light began to flash before Rarity.

"Yes...I like very much," said Rarity as she allowed herself to be corrupted, but stopped herself and shook her head to snap out of it, "No! No, I shan't succumb to such fabulousness. Must...get to the center...to meet the others." Rarity dragged her hooves to fight the temptation, but in the end, Rarity gave into it, turning grey and becoming corrupted.

"Mine!" said Rarity as she used her fore-hooves to dig and break down the wall. By the time she had finished, the wall was in ruins and she was very dirty.

"Well, Rarity, it took forever, but it was worth it," she told herself, "who knew three little gemstones would turn out to be this handsome hunk of a diamond?" There before Rarity was a diamond the size of a full grown stallion, "Now to get you home." Rarity grunted as she used all her strength to lift the diamond on her back.

The rubble then disappeared as Chase, Twilight, Pinkie, and Applejack arrive.

"Rarity! Are we glad to see.." said Twilight before she saw that the grayed out marshmallow pony was doing, "Why are you carrying a humongous boulder?"

"What do you mean, "boulder"?" said Rarity as she put the giant rock down and rubbed a fore-hoof on it, "This big beautiful bedazzling rock is a diamond!"

She then got into Twilight's face.

"And it's all mine!" Rarity shouted, "keep your envious little eyes off it! I found it and it's mine, fair and square!"

She then grunted as she lifted the "diamond" and carried it away. Twilight and Chase just looked at Rarity worried as the others walked by without another word.

(Scene changes)

As for Fluttershy, she was timidly trying to find her way through the maze as she popped out of one hedge and made her way through another, her teeth chattering fearfully.

"Okay, I can do this," said Fluttershy, trying to pep talk to herself, "I can...EEEEK!" Fluttershy then was frightened as three pink butterflies appeared and dived back into a hedge wall with her back end and tail sticking out. But then turned around and smiled excitedly.

"Oh wait a minute...butterflies?" said Fluttershy excitedly as she took off after them, "Wait! Don't leave me here!" It wasn't long before she lost sight of them. The three butterflies reappeared before her, now showing they have the same facial features as Discord.

"Fluttershy, looks like you've been left behind by your so-called friends, huh?" said one butterfly.

"Oh no," said Fluttershy, "I'm certain they're doing their best to find me."

"Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are," said the butterfly.

"Not at all," answered Fluttershy, "I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding." Fluttershy seemed to have a good answer to the butterfly's attempts to make her doubt herself, and it was really getting on the butterfly's nerves.

"Yes...Well," the butterfly retorted, showing its patience was thinning out, "surely, it burns you up..."

"Not really," Fluttershy responded, "In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be." That was the melting point.

"Oh, for goodness sake!" Discord snapped, corrupting Fluttershy by pressing a finger on the top of head like he was activating a corruption button, "You've been kind for far too long, my dear. Time to be cruel. Arrivederci!" Discord then poofed away indignantly when the other ponies arrived.

"Fluttershy! I'm so glad to see a friendly face," said Twilight as she and Chase approached her, "This awful labyrinth is getting to everypony." Rarity just stayed quiet with her "diamond" on her back. Applejack just growled and Pinkie gave them all a raspberry. Fluttershy just glared at Twilight.

"Aw, boo-hoo-hoo!" said Fluttershy in a tone that made a pony wonder if she and Diamond Tiara had switched bodies, "Why don't you wave your magical little horn and make everything alright?"

"Uh..." said Twilight stunned by the snarky comment.

"Oh, that's right," said Fluttershy snootily, "You can't. You don't have one." Fluttershy then snapped her tail into Twilight's face as she walked away.

"What is happening to my friends?" said Twilight as Fluttershy kicked Pinkie in a hedge. Applejack laughed at the pink pony as she fell out of it.

"And what are you laughing at?" Pinkie snarled.

"Chocolate milk," said Applejack with a fake innocent tone. Twilight just looks stunned at the whole scene.

"Little help here!" Rarity called, feeling exhausted from carrying her "diamond" as Twilight goes to help along with Chase.

"Thanks Twilight," said Rarity.

"You're welcome-"

"But don't get any idea about my gem!" Rarity warned before Twilight could finish, "I know where you live." Twilight and Chase just flinched away at her tone before they moved on.

(Scene changes)

Rainbow was just making her way through the area in a stealthy but quick manner, zooming from one hedge intersection to another. It was then she heard some thunder clash and saw a paper thin cloud shooting rainbow lightning bolts from it.

"I've got you now, Element," said Rainbow as she chased after the cloud. She was then brought to a stop when she saw Discord lounging between two trees using some clouds for a hammock.

"Oh, I can see why you like these clouds so much," Discord remarked, "Very plush."

"Get off there and put 'em up!" said Rainbow, standing on her hind legs and punched about with her fore-hooves, "Come on! Let's go!"

"Hey, I'm here to deliver a message!" said Discord as he climbed off the hammock.

"I've got a message for you too!" Rainbow retorted, still giving jabs with her fore-hoof.

"Listen closely, this is important," said Discord in a serious tone, "A weighty choice is yours to make: a right selection of a big mistake. If a wrong choice, you chose to pursue, the foundations of home will crumble without you." The paper thunder cloud began to spin, showing Rainbow a vision of Cloudsdale crumbling into ruins and other Pegasus ponies fleeing for their lives. Rainbow gasped in horror as the corruption began to take effect on her as Discord presented Rainbow with a box.

"That box contains your wings," said Discord, "You can take them and leave the game, or you can carry on aimlessly wandering the maze. Your choice." Rainbow just stood stiff.

As for the rest of the group, they were just walking about quietly as Twilight was left in the back carrying Rarity's "diamond" alone.

"Must...find...Rainbow Dash," Twilight panted, trying to stay positive, "as a team...we're unstoppable. Rainbow Dash won't let us down."

"Well, looky there," said Applejack as Twilight caught up with her, "Rainbow Dash is flying away. She's abandonin' us."

"Now I know that's a lie," said Twilight as she set the rock down and then gasped as she saw that Rainbow was flying away into the sky, "How can it be?"

There was a clash of thunder as the entire garden lowered itself into the ground, leaving nothing but a large shallow valley where the labyrinth once stood. Discord then appeared before then all.

"Well, well, well," said Discord, "somepony broke the "no wings, no magic" rule." He then snapped his finger to return Twilight, Chase, and Rarity's horns, along with Chase's gear, and Fluttershy's wings before getting into Twilight's face, "Game's over, my little ponies. You didn't find your precious elements. Looks like we might be due for a big old storm of chaos!"

Discord then laughed maniacally as the thunder and lightning clashed behind him as he opened an upside down umbrella. Twilight just looks at him fearfully. Chase just glared at him angrily.

(To be continued)